Editing Simon Burns

{{Short description|British politician}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{for|the American labor union leader|Simon Burns (unionist)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council#Rights and privileges of members|The Right Honourable]] Sir
| name = Simon Burns
| honorific-suffix =  
| image = Simon Burns Official.jpg
| caption = 
| office = [[Minister of State for Transport]]
| term_start = 4 September 2012
| term_end = 4 October 2013<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24396224|work=BBC News|title=Rail minister Simon Burns stands down in deputy speaker bid|date=4 October 2013|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402172644/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24396224|archive-date=2 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
| primeminister = [[David Cameron]]
| predecessor = [[Theresa Villiers]]
| successor = [[Baroness Kramer|The Baroness Kramer]]
| office1 = [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister of State for Health Services]]
| term_start1 = 12 May 2010
| term_end1 = 4 September 2012
| primeminister1 = [[David Cameron]]
| preceded1 = [[Mike O'Brien (UK politician)|Mike O'Brien]]
| succeeded1 = [[Dan Poulter]]
| office2 = [[Lord Commissioner of the Treasury]]
| primeminister2 = [[John Major]]
| term_start2 = 5 July 1995
| term_end2 = 23 July 1996
| predecessor2 = [[Timothy Kirkhope]]
| successor2 = [[Roger Knapman]]
| office3 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] <br /> for [[Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|Chelmsford]]<br /><small>[[West Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|West Chelmsford]] (1997–2010)</small>
| parliament3 = 
| term_start3 = 11 June 1987
| term_end3 =3 May 2017 
| predecessor3 = [[Norman St John-Stevas]]
| successor3 = [[Vicky Ford]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|09|6|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Nottingham]], England
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]]
| spouse = Emma Clifford (1982–2000; divorced); 2 children
| party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| alma_mater = [[Worcester College, Oxford]]
| website = [http://www.simonburnsmp.com/ Official website]<br />[http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/sir-simon-burns/46 parliament..simon-burns]
}}

''' Sir Simon Hugh McGuigan Burns''' (born 6 September 1952) is a British politician, who served as [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|Chelmsford]] since being elected at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]] until the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]].

Burns resigned from being [[Minister of State for Transport]] in October 2013 to stand in the [[Chairman of Ways and Means|First Deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means]] [[by-election]] following the resignation of [[Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons|Deputy Speaker]] [[Nigel Evans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/329627/a-conservative-democrat-simon-burns-interview.thtml|title=www.totalpolitics.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512221118/http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/329627/a-conservative-democrat-simon-burns-interview.thtml|archivedate=12 May 2015}}</ref>

Returned to [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] as a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP in the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 election]], he was [[knight]]ed in the [[2015 Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/06/knighthood-for-simon-burns-mp-included-in-the-queens-birthday-honours.html|title=Knighthood for Simon Burns included in The Queen's Birthday Honours – Conservative Home|date=13 June 2015 |access-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927130535/https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2015/06/knighthood-for-simon-burns-mp-included-in-the-queens-birthday-honours.html|archive-date=27 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Burns announced in January 2016 that he would not be standing at the next general election, reaffirmed when the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] was declared.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/chelmsford-mp-sir-simon-burns-to-retire-at-next-general-election/|title=Chelmsford MP Sir Simon Burns to retire at next General Election|work=[[The Enquirer]]|date=8 January 2016|accessdate=18 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223113602/http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/chelmsford-mp-sir-simon-burns-to-retire-at-next-general-election/|archive-date=23 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Mortimer|first=Caroline|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mp-general-election-tom-blenkinsop-not-stand-theresa-may-middlesborough-south-a7688501.html|title=Labour MPs announce they are standing down as Theresa May calls for a snap general election|work=The Independent|date=18 April 2017|accessdate=18 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419003220/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mp-general-election-tom-blenkinsop-not-stand-theresa-may-middlesborough-south-a7688501.html|archive-date=19 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Born on 6 September 1952 in [[Nottingham]], Burns was educated at Christ the King School in [[Accra]], then [[Stamford School]] in [[Lincolnshire]], before going up to [[Worcester College, Oxford]], to read Modern History, graduating with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] ([[Honours degree|Hons]]) (''Third-class honours, resulting in his nickname "third degree burns"'') in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/simon-hugh-mcguigan-burns|title=Simon Burns|website=politics.co.uk|access-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615023420/http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/simon-hugh-mcguigan-burns|archive-date=15 June 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> He has also received an [[Honorary degree|Honorary]] [[Doctorate of Philosophy]] (Hon. PhD) from [[Anglia Ruskin University]].<ref>[http://ww2.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/microsites/honorary/burns.html www.anglia.ac.uk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615052702/http://ww2.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/microsites/honorary/burns.html |date=15 June 2015 }}</ref>

Burns cites following the [[Timeline of the presidency of John F. Kennedy|Kennedy administration]] in the early 1960s as the point where he became interested in politics, saying "As you looked around the world you had [[Harold Macmillan|a prime minister in Britain]] who was about 69, [[Charles de Gaulle|a president in France in his mid-70s]] and [[Konrad Adenauer|a chancellor in West Germany]] in his 80s. [Kennedy] had a glamorous family, and conveyed the impression that you could actually do something in politics to improve the lives of citizens. I thought that was cool, and decided that public service would be fantastic".<ref name="Democrats">{{cite web|url=https://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/interview/conservative-democrat-simon-burns-interview|title=A Conservative Democrat: Simon Burns interview|work=totalpolitics.com|date=5 October 2012|access-date=14 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817082453/https://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/interview/conservative-democrat-simon-burns-interview|archive-date=17 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Political career==
Before beginning his degree at Oxford, Burns spent nine months in the [[United States of America|United States]] working for [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[George McGovern]]'s ultimately unsuccessful [[George McGovern presidential campaign, 1972|presidential campaign]] against [[President of the United States|President]] [[Richard Nixon]] in [[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]. Following the [[Watergate scandal]] and [[SP 3-125: Presidential Address Announcing His Intention to Resign the Oval Office|Nixon's subsequent resignation in 1974]], Burns would comment that McGovern's campaign had "won the argument, even if we lost the vote".<ref name="Democrats"/>

From 1975 to 1980, Burns was [[political adviser]] to Rt Hon [[Sally Oppenheim]] (now Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes). From 1980 to 1983 he was a [[journalist]] and served as a [[company director|director]] of ''What To Buy for Business'' magazine, before working from 1983 to 1987 for the [[Institute of Directors]] Policy Executive.<ref>[http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/26531/Simon-Hugh-McGuigan-BURNS ''Debrett's People of Today''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706160753/http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/26531/Simon-Hugh-McGuigan-BURNS |date=6 July 2015 }}</ref>

Burns has been active in domestic politics since 1970, when he was a founder member of the Rutland and Stamford [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]], having been founding chairman of Stamford School CPC. From 1973 to 1975, he was a committee member, Political Action Officer and Secretary of [[Oxford University Conservative Association]], and a member of the [[Oxford Union]]. From 1977 to 1981, he was Treasurer for [[Southfields|Southfields Ward]] and an executive council member of Putney Conservative Association.

In 1983, he was the Conservative Party [[Prospective parliamentary candidate|candidate]] in [[Alyn and Deeside (UK Parliament constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]] (Flintshire, Wales) where he reduced Labour's majority from 6,800 to 1,368. In 1986, he was elected Chairman of Avonmore Ward, Fulham Conservative Association.{{cn|date=January 2023}}

Burns was sworn of the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] in February 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/|title=Privy Council members – Privy Council|website=privycouncil.independent.gov.uk|access-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206223159/http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/|archive-date=6 December 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

Burns was opposed to [[Brexit]] prior to the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 referendum]].<ref name="thespectatorwhichtorympsbackbrexit">{{cite news|last1=Goodenough|first1=Tom|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|work=The Spectator|accessdate=11 October 2016|date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203120144/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|archive-date=3 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013 Burns voted against the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013|Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21346694|title=MP-by-MP: Gay marriage vote|work=BBC News|date=5 February 2013|access-date=21 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810223819/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21346694|archive-date=10 August 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Election results===
At the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Burns gained 22,946 votes (44.9%) and a majority of 9,620 (18.8%). The number of votes cast for Burns in 2005 was an increase of 2.4% from the previous general election in 2001. His majority also increased from 6,261 to 9,620. Turnout was 61.9%, down from 62.5% in 2001. At the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], Burns gained 25,207 votes (46.2%), winning a majority over the Liberal Democrat candidate by 5,110 (9.4%).

At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Burns gained 27,732 votes (51.5%), winning the seat with a majority over [[Chris Vince]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] candidate, of 18,250 (33.9%).<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000628 2015 general election results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010045514/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000628 |date=10 October 2018 }}, bbc.co.uk; accessed 12 May 2015.</ref>

==Controversies==
[[File:Simon Burns MP and Ed Stourton (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|{{center|Simon Burns MP in 2010}}]]
In 2007, Burns persuaded the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] [[Administration Committee]], then being a member, that parliamentarians should have "priority access" to services within the [[Parliamentary Estate]]. In practice, this meant that MPs and Peers could avoid queues for shops, restaurants, bars, computers, photocopiers and even toilets by "pushing in" ahead of visitors or staff. The so-called "[[queue jumping]] rule" provoked cross-party opposition from [[Crown servant|Commons staff]] and other MPs but Burns trenchantly defended the proposal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2796316.ece|title=Courteous palace coup stops MPs jumping to the head of the queue|last=Hurst|first=Greg|date=3 November 2007|newspaper=[[The Times]]|access-date=11 August 2010|location=London, UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725112253/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2796316.ece|archive-date=25 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 3 April 2008, Burns was involved in a collision with a cyclist as he drove his [[4x4]] out of the [[Palace of Westminster]] gates into [[Parliament Square]]. The cyclist, [[British Army]] Major Stuart Lane, was thrown over the handlebars of his bicycle and broke two [[vertebrae]] in his neck "which could have hindered his Army career".
In February 2009 Burns pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving and was fined £400 with £200 costs at the [[City of Westminster Magistrates' Court]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/4449654/Tory-MP-fined-over-Parliament-car-crash.html|title=Tory MP fined over Parliament car crash|last=Moore|first=Matthew|date=3 February 2009|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=21 May 2010|location=London, UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330084614/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/4449654/Tory-MP-fined-over-Parliament-car-crash.html|archive-date=30 March 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 29 June 2010, Burns called [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] [[John Bercow]], who stands at 5'6", a "stupid, sanctimonious dwarf" during a debate.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2010-06-30|title=Bercow laughs off height remark|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/10464313|access-date=2021-07-27}}</ref>

In November 2011, Burns compared members of the campaigning group [[38 Degrees]] to zombies,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/32529385|accessdate=23 November 2011|title=Simon Burns MP likening 38 Degrees members to "Zombies" in House of Commons|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126071645/http://vimeo.com/32529385|archive-date=26 November 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> which led to an open letter of complaint to Burns with over 85,000 signatures.<ref>{{cite web|title=Open letter to Simon Burns|url=http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/open-letter-to-simon-burns|accessdate=23 November 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125191203/http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/open-letter-to-simon-burns|archivedate=25 November 2011}}</ref>

In January 2013, Burns, when the [[government minister|minister]] overseeing rail fares, was revealed as having been making use of a ministerial car instead of travelling the 35 miles from his home in Essex to London by train.  He claimed this was because he was not allowed to read sensitive papers on the train, but his claim was immediately contradicted by the Cabinet Office, although it was conceded that reading [[Red box (government)|Red box matters]] in such an environment was not advisable. The cost to the taxpayer was estimated to be £80,000 per annum.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/simon-burns-minister-responsible-for-train-fares-uses-80000ayear-chauffeurdriven-government-car-to-avoid-overcrowded-trains-8439959.html|location=London, UK|work=The Independent|first=Rob|last=Williams|title=Simon Burns, minister responsible for train fares, uses £80,000-a-year chauffeur-driven government car to 'avoid overcrowded trains'|date=6 January 2013|access-date=1 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925172347/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/simon-burns-minister-responsible-for-train-fares-uses-80000ayear-chauffeurdriven-government-car-to-avoid-overcrowded-trains-8439959.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Knights Bachelor Insignia.png|thumb|right|110px|Knight Bachelor insigne]]
Burns was married to Emma Clifford from 1982 until their divorce in 2000; they have two children.

He is a second cousin of [[David Bowie]].<ref name="Democrats" />

In the [[2015 Birthday Honours|Queen's Birthday Honours 2015]], Sir Simon was appointed a [[Knight Bachelor]] "for parliamentary and political service".<ref name="LG 13 June 2015">{{London Gazette |issue=61256 |date=13 June 2015 |page=B2 |supp=y}}</ref>

Despite his conservative views, Burns is a "proud" supporter of the more liberal-leaning [[Democratic Party (United States)|U.S. Democratic Party]]. Citing the [[big tent]] nature of [[Political parties in the United States|American political parties]], he argues "You can't just say that, because you’re a British Conservative, so you have to be a [U.S.] [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]. American politics isn’t contained in that way. Turn the clock back to the 1970s, and the Democrat Party went from the liberal Kennedy wing right through to the out-and-out racists in the [[Solid South|Southern states]]. The Republican Party had its [[Rockefeller Republican|liberal wing]] – people like [[John Lindsay]], [[Charles H. Percy|Chuck Percy]] and [[Nelson Rockefeller]]."<ref name="Democrats"/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040617102825/http://www.simonburnsmp.com/ Simon Burns MP] ''Official constituency website''
* [http://www.chelmsfordconservatives.com Chelmsford Conservative Association]
*{{UK MP links|parliament=mr-simon-burns/46|hansardcurr=2380|hansard=mr-simon-burns|guardian=748/simon-burns|publicwhip=Simon_Burns|theywork=simon_burns|record=Greg-Barker/Bexhill-and-Battle/748}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/25788.stm Profile] at ''[[BBC News]] Democracy Live''
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1872577.stm Upset in 2002 over awards of five new cities], bbc.co.uk
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/137.stm 2005 Election Result: West Chelmsford], bbc.co.uk 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041222013106/http://www.chelmsfordbc.gov.uk/elect/website/election_results.htm Previous General Election Results], Chelmsfordbc.gov.uk 
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Norman St John-Stevas]] }}
{{s-ttl
  | title = [[File:Crowned Portcullis.svg|25px]]<br />[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|Chelmsford]]
  | years = [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987]]–[[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]
}}
{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished; recreated in 2010}}

{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
 | title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Chelmsford West (UK Parliament constituency)|Chelmsford West]]
 | years = [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]–[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
}}
{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished}}

{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
 | title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Chelmsford (UK Parliament constituency)|Chelmsford]]
 | years = [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]–[[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Vicky Ford]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Minister of State for Transport}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Simon}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford]]
[[Category:People educated at Stamford School]]
[[Category:Politicians from Nottingham]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1987–1992]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1992–1997]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2001–2005]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2015–2017]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]